Orange peels and rinds are oft ignored flavor salvos just too good to toss or compost. These spongy fruit overcoats hold concentrated essential oils and chewy textures destined to brighten up any pallid palate or daily diet with a shot of orange-flavored sunshine. Hyperbole? I think not. Orange peels are not only tasty morsels, but good for you as well, promising more vitamins, fiber and flavonoids than the actual fruit it protects. And because orange flavor is a universally loved treat, I wanted to find a way to plop it by the spoonful in any batter, bowl or recipe I so chose to emboldened, enrich or imbue.

I came up with a recipe I call Orange Peel Caviar. It gets me and my kitchen conjurings through the misty grey winters of the Pacific Northwest, at least until local fruits and berries appear.

Tidbits of orange peel brightening up my black and blue berry pie

While making orange peel caviar is easy to make, I did feel I had some ‘splainin’ to do, so I made a little instructional video (homemade for sure) for clarity, and my basic need to belabor the subject. 😉

Update: I suggest using organic oranges, as even washing may not rid pesticide from the rinds (from what I read).

Tom’s Homemade Video: How to Make Orange Peel Caviar

I also wrote down the recipe, as seen below. So don’t toss those peels, save them for a bite of sunshine on a rainy day!

Orange Peel Caviar

Orange Peel Caviar is my spoonable relish-like mixture of chopped candied orange rinds spiked with liqueur. A dollop or two of this preserve, adds solid orange flavor to any dish, batter, dough or ice cream base. I love it added to yogurt or steel cut oats or berry pies and cobblers.

Ingredients

6 - 7 Oranges Peeled

2 cups sugar

2 cups water

1 - 2 tablespoon orange liqueur or brandy (Grand Marnier, Triple Sec)

Directions

Step 1

Peel oranges, first cut "north pole" off, and then the "south pole" off

Step 2

Going lengthwise down the orange make five evenly spaced slits into the peel, to facilitate removal of peel from orange.

Step 3

Slice peel section into thick julienne widths, like the size of shoestring potatoes, or a little larger.

Step 4

Put peels in nonreactive pan, add sugar and water and stir to dissolve.

Step 5

Simmer slowly for about ten minutes and remove from heat.

Step 6

Let pan cool and reheat the pan at a later time and simmer gently, and shut off heat. Do this a couple more times in the days to come adding more orange peel is fine. The orange peel will candy that is look bright and shiny and firmer, and the runny liquid will become more of a syrup.

Step 7

Place orange peel in food processor. Add a tablespoon or two of Grand Marnier or Triple Sec or Patron Orange Liqueur and pulse until minced and chunky, and spreadable.

Step 8

Place orange peel mixture in jars, leaving 1/2 inch air space and add lid, tighten and place in simmering water bath for 10-15 minutes and then remove to cool. If you prefer not to can the mixture, you can freeze it and scoop the orange peel caviar as needed from a ziploc bag or sealed container.

The great part of this recipe is not only the taste but how easy it is to set up and make. Any time you eat an orange, save and cut the peel and plop it in a pan of sugar water, simmer and remove from heat and repeat the process every time you add a peel to the pot. When the pan is full, plop orange rinds in food processor, chop into a chunky paste and can or freeze to have on hand when you need some seriously good orange flavor in a recipe or dish. Oh, and it’s good by the spoonful, too.

Little Update…

Despite his rigorous and indispensable role here on the farm, buddy finds time to send you his love.

Tom,
You really do seem to have a creative manner to make the simple gifts appear to be a master piece. Love your choice of the word “caviar”. After watching the video, I can imagine you smiling to yourself about this creative name.

Hi, Tom,
What? No Buddy? 🙂 It is always a pleasure to see your smiling face and pick up some new ideas. The orange caviar sounds delicious and, like V, I love your choice of the word “caviar.” What did you do to your thumbnail? Ouch!

Thank you Sandra, and as for the thumb, I wish I could feign some dramatic, fighting-bears-off kind of story, but alas, an automatic sliding floral cooler door sprung into action at the wrong time. No other digits were injured, but my thumb has yet to forgive me. And Buddy thanks you, for noticing his glaring absence. I will remedy that with an update photo in the post.

So how long do you think it would keep in the frig? This sounds like a good thing to have on hand, but I wouldn’t use much at a time. And I’m thinking this would be an excellent gift item, anytime navels are in season. Or do you think it would produce as good a result with Valencias?

Kathy it will keep in the frig for a month or two and even longer if you add a grand marnier or orange liqueur to it. The sugar and alcohol make for fine preservatives. I’ve tried it with both oranges, and each work just fine. The navels tend to be spongy in texture and the juice oranges and Valencias a bit chewier as their rinds are thinner and a little tougher. Still good though.

Big Tom and Buddy Welcome!

Tom Conway here – A man, a dog, a farmhouse on five acres, countless projects and a hankering to grow and cook good food on Vashon Island. Join me, and my bulldog Buddy, as I share what I know, what I love, and what I’m learning along the way!